Dimplex Electric Fireplace Insert at Hayneedle

Historical fire pits were sometimes constructed in the floor, within caves, or at the center of a hut or home. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made flames exists on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of premature indoor flame pits was that they produced toxic and/or annoying smoke inside the dwelling.Fire pits grown into raised hearths in buildings, but ventilation smoke depended on open windows or holes in roofs. The medieval great hall typically needed a centrally located hearth, where a open fire burned with all the smoke climbing into the vent in the roof. Louvers were developed throughout the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be covered so rain and snow would not enter.

Additionally during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to stop smoke from spreading through an area and vent it outside through a ceiling or wall. These can be put against rock walls, instead of taking up the center of the room, and this enabled smaller rooms to be warmed.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe from the 11th or 12th centuries and largely fixed the issue of fumes, more reliably venting smoke out. They made it possible to provide the fireplace a draft, and also made it feasible to put fireplaces in numerous rooms in buildings conveniently. They didn't come into general usage immediately, however, as they were expensive to build and maintain.

The 18th century saw two important developments in the history of fireplaces. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection room for the fireplace that greatly improved the efficacy of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting a lengthier place on very top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox which was better at drawing up the smoke and from the building. The shallow design improved greatly the amount of radiant heat projected into the space. Rumford's layout is the foundation for modern kitchens.

Instead it relied on simple layouts with little unnecessary ornamentation. From the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way into the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was placed on providing quality stone. Stone fireplaces at this time were a sign of prosperity, which to a degree remains the notion today.A fireplace is a structure made of brick, stone or metal made to include a fire. Fireplaces are utilized for the relaxing ambiance that they create and for heating a space. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the design.

Historically they were used for heating a home, cooking, and heating water for laundry and domestic uses.

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On the exterior there is often a corbeled brick crown, where the casting courses of brick act as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A cap, hood, or shroud functions to keep rainwater from the outside of the chimney; rain at the chimney is a far greater difficulty in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners than with the standard masonry chimney, which soaks up all but the rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the cap or crown.

Organizations like the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology warn that, according to different studies, fireplaces can pose a substantial health risk. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it is not good for you.

Kinds of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made with sheet glass or metal flame boxes.Electric fireplaces could be built-in replacements for either gas or wood or retrofit with log inserts or electrical fireboxes.

In the United States, some states and local businesses have laws restricting these kinds of fireplaces. Additionally, there are air quality management problems because of the quantity of moisture that they release into the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon dioxide sensors are safety essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed from the area that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses into the exterior of the structure.

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AccessoriesFor the inside, common in current Western cultures include grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons, pellet baskets, and fire puppies, all which cradle fuel and accelerate burning. A grate (or fire grate) is a framework, usually of iron bars, to retain fuel for a fire. Heavy metal firebacks are occasionally used to capture and re-radiate heat, to protect the rear of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metal frames placed in front of the fireplace to contain embers, soot and ash.

As time passes, the intent behind fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of interest. Early ones were more fire pits than modern fireplaces. They were used for warmth on chilly days and nights, in addition to for cooking. They also served as a gathering place inside the home. These fire pits were usually based within a room, allowing more individuals to gather around it.

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Dimplex Electric Fireplaces » Fireboxes Inserts » Products » 33quot; Selftrimming Electric Firebox

Many defects were found in ancient fireplace designs. Together with the Industrial Revolution, came big scale housing developments, necessitating a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace designers of the time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design which has been used for generations. It had been smaller, more brightly lit, with an emphasis on the level of the substances used in their construction, as opposed to their size.

By the 1800s newest fireplaces were made up of two parts, the surround and the add. The surround comprised of the mantlepiece and sides supports, usually in wood, granite or marble. The fit was fire burned, and was built of cast iron often backed with decorative tiles. As well as providing heat, the fireplaces of the Victorian age were believed to bring a cozy ambiance into homes.

Dimplex Electric Fireplaces » Fireboxes Inserts » Products » 33quot; Selftrimming Electric Firebox Video

Some fireplace units incorporate a blower that transfers more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, leading to a more evenly heated area and a decrease heating load. Fireplace efficiency can also be enhanced by means of a fireback, a sheet of metal which sits behind the fire and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally produced from cast iron, but can also be manufactured from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complex concept although with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficiency tests consider only the effect of heating of the atmosphere. An open fireplace isn't, and never was, intended to warm the atmosphere. The best way to gauge the output signal of a fireplace is in case you notice you are turning the thermostat down or up.

Most older fireplaces have a relatively low efficiency score. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces still possess an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum necessity such as in Salzburg/Austria). To boost efficiency, fireplaces may also be altered by inserting special heavy fireboxes developed to burn much cleaner and can reach efficiencies as high as 80% in heating the air. These modified fireplaces are usually equipped with a massive fire window, allowing an efficient heating process in two stages. During the first stage the initial heat is provided through a big glass while the fire is burning. In this time period the construction, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the warmth. This heat is then evenly radiated for many hours during the next phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window only offer heat radiated from the surface. Depending on temperatures 1 to two daily firings are enough to ensure a constant room temperature.dimplex electric fireplace insert